


Oasis: Second Chance

by kswis1980



Category: Mystery - Fandom, Romance - Fandom, Unidentified Character
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-05-12 10:24:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 15,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5662858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kswis1980/pseuds/kswis1980
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Elizabeth James attempts to put her broken life back together a mysterious stranger drops into her life, turning it upside down. Could this be her second chance or will she end up more broken than she began?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic so I hope you and enjoy. Thanks in advance for reading and any and all feedback is appreciated.

Oasis: Second Chance 

Chapter 1

As Elizabeth James (Liz to most), loaded the final box into the back of her old Ford Focus, she turned to her sister who already had tears in her eyes. She walked towards Abigail and they embraced in a long hug before Liz finally pulled away. Abigail was the first to break the silence.

"Elizabeth are you sure you want to do this?"

She smiled at her sister, trying to minimize her anxiety. 

"Abby, you only call me Elizabeth when you disapprove." 

She tried once more to reassure her sister that a permanent move to the cabin, was what she needed. What had once been a summer retreat had become home or at least the only home Liz knew anymore.  
After a silence that seemed endless, Abby once again spoke, choosing her words carefully. 

"Liz, I'm worried that returning to the place where..." 

She hesitated and Liz took this opportunity to say her final thoughts on the matter. 

"The place where Charles and I spent our last months together. The place where the love of my life died in my arms." 

Liz didn't wait for a response before she continued. 

"I loved Charles more than life, and I don't know how I'm going to live without him. What I do know, is we were always happy there and I need to return to a place where happiness once lived."

After a final hug, Liz quickly left before her sister could say more. She watched her sister's half hearted waves until she was out of sight.

She arrived at the cabin about two hours later, and stood outside breathing in the refreshing Spring air. This was her favorite time of year. The surrounding woods were full of life. The birds chirped from all directions and a frog could be heard in the distance. Still all these sounds and surrounding life, couldn't take away the emptiness around her. She wondered if her sister had been right. 

"Should I have buried this part of life, when I buried the love of my life?" 

She had to come back here though. This was all she had left of him. As she gathered her courage to climb the wooden stairs, leading her to what her husband had always referred to as his Oasis, a noise in the distance pulled her from her thoughts. She shrugged it off and continued climbing to the top of the stairs. She walked across the dark mahogany, wrap around porch, one slow step at a time, as if it were an ice covered lake. She thought she heard another unfamiliar sound, but dismissed it as an animal of some kind. She rubbed her hand along the darkened surface her husband had cherished. He had put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into building this haven for them. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the banister, inhaling as deeply as her lungs would allow. For a moment, she could smell his scent and feel his arms around her. She wanted to hold on to that moment forever when suddenly she was yanked back to reality by the broken crackles coming from the wooded area beside her. As she quickly turned, a figure emerged through the brush. Crimson ran from his head and other parts of him. It was impossible to tell where all the blood was coming from. They locked eyes briefly, before he choked out the barely audible words, 'help me' and then collapsed to the ground. She stood motionless as if her feet had been set in concrete.

￼


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The man remained motionless as Liz cautiously knelt beside him. She looked around to make sure no one had followed him. Where had this mysterious stranger come from? Who had done this to him? Would they come back to finish what they started? All these unanswered questions, would have to remain just that. She had to act quickly. His pulse was weak and he remained unconscious. His breathing was shallow and labored, a sound she was too familiar with. She was certain of two things. Without medical attention this man would soon die and there was no way she could move this man that appeared to be at least six foot tall and over 200 lbs.  
The nearest hospital was 45 minutes away and he would never make it. Moving him was a risk, especially if he had internal injuries. Not moving him, was a death sentence.   
She was suddenly on autopilot. Without even realizing what she was doing, she ran for the cabin taking the steps two at a time. She burst through the solid oak doors and into "The Room." She felt her chest ache and her eyes burn as the pain poured from them. For a moment it felt like Charles was still with her, and had just gone fishing. The ache in her heart along with a decor, including a hospital bed and other various medical supplies painted a different picture.  
Liz began speaking to him as if he were there.

"Charles, I'm going to save him, the way I couldn't save you."

She began grabbing various supplies as if she had suddenly turned into MacGyver. Using crutches, a sheet, and zip ties found in Charles's tackle box, Liz crafted a makeshift stretcher to move the stranger inside. He hadn't moved an inch, when she returned. She gently rolled him onto his back and onto the stretcher. She tried to force herself not to focus on his face. He had been badly beaten and was a bit grotesque, yet she couldn't look away. Something was familiar about this stranger, but she couldn't identify the man, beneath the mask of pain.


	3. Chapter 3

Liz was exhausted, but had managed to get the man inside and into the bed. She tried to block out the fact that this was the very spot where she had cared for the love of her life for the past few months. As she began cleaning the dried blood and treating the open wounds, starting with the gash to his head. She had never done anything like this before, but she had no choice but to attempt to stitch the wound. She grabbed a needle and thread from her sewing kit. At this moment, she was glad he was unconscious as she closed the gash to the best of her ability. She washed as much of the dried blood from his mangled hair and beard as she could. She continued treating the wounds on his face, neck and arms, while tears streamed down her face until everything was blurry. She blinked away the drops of sorrow and focused on the task before her. It was painful to look at him. One eye was so badly swollen and bruised, she doubted he would even be able to open it, if he did regain consciousness. His lip was gashed and also swollen. This trend continued down his neck and arms. Even his hands were busted and bloody.

She continued to talk to Charles, or maybe to herself. She wasn't even sure at this point. "Some Oasis this is," she said aloud, referring to her husband's constant claim that this log structure brought peace and refuge from the outside world. Nothing about this seemed peaceful. After finally cleaning and treating all the wounds that were visible, she noticed for the first time the tattered garb the man was wearing. She looked at the closet and back at the man for what seemed like an eternity. Could she? What choice did she have? She pulled an outfit from the closest that held her husband's clothes. As she removed the clothes from the hanger, she became angry. 

"How dare you come in here and take my husband's bed...his clothes...his room." 

She practically hissed at the still unconscious man as if he had just strolled up to the door asking to borrow her husband's life.

"Stop being such an asshole!" 

She was now yelling at herself. 

"Get it together Liz. This is a human life and you're bitching over a pair of pajamas!" 

She finished scolding herself and returned to the man. She removed a pair of scissors from the bedside table. She would have to cut what was left of the clothes from his body. She carefully began cutting the t-shirt from the bottom and worked her way to the neckline. As she removed the shirt, revealing his chest for the first time. She gasped and her jaw dropped in a mixture of shock and horror. His entire chest was covered with burns from what appeared to be from a rope or chord rubbing the skin for a long period of time. His skin was red and raw. This man had been tied up and tortured. All the anger she felt at his presence washed away. She lightly rubbed his cheek as she whispered, 

"Whoever you are, I will help you."


	4. Chapter 4

She glanced at the Phillies clock hanging on the wall and realized it had only been a few hours since her and her "guest" had arrived at the cabin. She felt like she had been awake for days. All she really wanted to do was stare at the clock and be whisked away to memories of her and Charles sharing hot dogs and popcorn at Citizens Bank Park, but now was not the time for that.  
She returned to the man and began the next task. She took a deep breath, as if she were trying to find the courage to bungee jump for the first time. "Grow up Elizabeth," she scolded herself internally. She slowly cut his pants away from his body. His ankles contained the same ligature marks as his chest did. Compared to the rest of his body, his legs were in much better condition. They were covered with only minor scrapes and cuts, most likely from running through the woods. "How far did you run?", she asked, as she gently washed the man from his thighs to his feet. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but notice his muscular legs and that made the final step even harder. She slowly cut the only fabric left covering his otherwise naked body. As she cut the final piece of fabric, she noticed her hands slightly shaking. "It's only a penis." She repeated this several times before she finally removed the only barrier between her and the first naked man she had seen in nearly fifteen years, that was not her husband. As she washed him, she felt movement beneath the cloth in her hand. Although she knew this was just an involuntary reflex, she felt the temperature rise in her cheeks, as his penis twitched. She quickly dried the area and pulled the pajama bottoms up his body, avoiding any contact with any part of him.  
She covered his chest with cool damp towels and held ice chips against his dry cracked lips and watched the droplets of water trickle into his mouth.   
Once she was sure his fever was gone, she pulled the chair that she had spent many nights in, next to the bed she had slept next to. She watched the rise and fall of the man's chest until her eyes became to heavy to hold and she slipped away into a dream filled sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Liz, naturally dreamed of Charles and the memories they had made here. She envisioned him down by the lake, sitting on the dock. He would sit in the big wooden chair, he had built himself. He sat, with a fishing pole in one hand and a cold beer in the other. That was why he had chosen this room over all the others. In the early morning hours, he would look out the window and watch the sun rise over the lake. It was a beautiful site and yet another reason this was his Oasis.  
While she slept, without even realizing it, she had laid her head on the bed, with her cheek against the stranger's hand, like she use to do with her beloved.

Sometime during the early morning hours, something pressed against her cheek, each time with a little more force. She sat up swiftly, slightly groggy from her sudden awakening, and her desire to hold on to her dream just a few more minutes. She crashed back to reality when she realized that the something pressing against her cheek, was the hand of the unknown man. She jumped up, as if she had been shot from a cannon. A million questions raced through her mind. "Who are you? What happened? How did you end up here?" As those questions swirled around in her head, she simply whispered, "You're awake."

The man looked around the room, clearly confused and disoriented. He had yet to speak a word. Finally, he looked at her. He tried to speak, but the words fell silent from his lips. He became agitated by this and tried to get up. His body staged a protest and he fell back against the pillow. 

"Don't try to move. Your body isn't ready." 

She ran to the kitchen to refill the cup with ice chips. After dissolving several cubes in his mouth, he tried to speak again. It was barely a whisper. "Thank you," was all he said. She just smiled a half hearted smile and continued with the ice chips. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Liz finally spoke.

"What's your name?" 

He looked puzzled. His brow furrowed, not with anger, but with confusion. He scanned the room, almost frantically. He zoomed in on the clock with Philadelphia Phillies displayed above it. He relaxed his brow and with a new found calmness he turned to her and very slowly answered.

"My name is Philip."

She turned to the clock, and then back to the man. It was clear to her what had just happened. She knew he saw the clock and the name Philip was close enough to Phillies to sound believable.  
She sat on the bed and took his hand between hers. He looked at her out of the one eye he was able to open and he knew, she knew the truth. 

"It's going to be alright," she assured him. "You've been through a lot. Try to rest."

He turned his head to look out the window, just as the sun began to rise. She watched him as he stared blankly at the scenery and a single tear rolled down his cheek. He asked himself the same questions, she had wondered all along. 

"Who am I? What happened? How did I get here?"

He closed his eye as more tears rolled down his cheek. She wiped the tears away and gently kissed his cheek. 

"We will solve this together. I will help you."

She stood and watched, until she was sure he was asleep. As she left the room, she couldn't help but thinking of how wounded he was...but then again so was she. 

"Maybe I'm just as wounded as he is."


	6. Chapter 6

While he slept, she managed to shower and put on fresh clothes. She prepared him lunch of hot soup and tea. There wasn't much else in the cupboards. She knew she would have to leave him to go to town soon. Fear and uncertainty swelled inside her as she wondered if the people responsible for this, were still hunting him. More importantly, he needed to see a doctor, but was it safe to bring someone here? Who could she trust? Why was she suddenly so paranoid of everyone and everything around her?   
As she helped him with lunch, she told him of her plans to go to town and the two sat in awkward silence for several minutes. As she stood to leave, he grabbed her hand and pulled her near him. His voice was still low and she leaned in to hear him. 

"Why are you doing this for me?" 

She hesitated before she replied. 

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Maybe this is yours, or maybe this is mine."

With that, she left the room to make a phone call. She would call Dr. Thomas. Yes, his specialty was cancer patients, but she trusted him. She believed he had done everything he could for Charles and hoped he could help, with Philip, or at least provide her with someone who could. She called his home number and the two explained pleasantries before she got to the matter at hand. He agreed to stop by the next morning and possibly bring a colleague that is a neurologist. He assured her this colleague was trustworthy. She didn't tell Philip of her phone call, although she had no idea why that was. 

She made her trip to town as quickly as possible. After carrying in groceries and unpacking the items in her car, which she had completely forgotten about, she went to check on Philip, expecting him to still be sleeping or at most watching out the window. Instead she found an empty bed. Panic set in as she tore from the room, shouting his name along the way. There was no sign of a struggle or forced entry. She would have noticed. She had passed through the living room and dining room to get to the kitchen. There was no sign of him. She tore through the rest of the cabin like a Tasmanian Devil. No sign of him anywhere. She yanked the front door open and nearly knocked him down. Fury filled her body and she could feel the temperature rising in her cheeks for a whole other reason than before.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" She screamed in his face, and regretted it the second she heard the words come out of her mouth, which dissolved most of the anger. 

He saw the look of regret on her face and before she could apologize, he flashed a smirky grin and jokingly replied, "Well the memory part at least."

"I'm so..." 

He cut her off before she could finish. He walked through the door and she helped him to the couch. 

"I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just thought, I might find answers beyond these walls." 

"I know you want answers, but you were nearly dead 24 hours ago. Maybe wait a few days before you go trying to be your own superhero."

He agreed and admitted he was pretty tired. She helped him back to bed. As she was walking out of the room, she turned to him with a look of genuine sincerity.

"For what it's worth, I'm sure someone out there is missing that smile of yours."

He lit up like fireworks on the 4th of July and it was he who felt the flush in his cheeks, this time.

"Oh yeah," he beamed. "I'm sure, it's just irresistible!" And then she heard him laugh for the first time. 

She smiled back and quickly headed towards the kitchen. She couldn't help but smile at the sound of his laughter and that smile, was something magical.


	7. Chapter 7

Dr. Thomas arrived early the next morning. Liz had finally decided to tell Philip, so if he was going to freak out, he had time before his arrival. Dr. Thomas was possibly the kindest man on earth and given his generosity to help, she didn't want any unexpected reactions. She thought it best to tell him, since she still didn't really know who this man was, anymore than he did. Philip seemed ok with it, although he was less thrilled about a possible neurologist and was visibly shaken. Liz tried to reassure him that it was a good thing.

"He may be able to help you find the answers you are so desperately looking to find." 

Dr. Thomas had examined the cuts, bruises, and burns on his body and provided some medication to speed up the healing process. His colleague, Dr. Adam examined the swollen eye and the stitch job. 

"The only thing I've ever sewn is a missing button," Liz chimed in as he examined the work. 

He said nothing and continued his exam. When he was finished, he asked Liz to leave the room. She was taken aback, almost insulted that he would ask such a thing.

"Patient confidentiality," he said with the utmost professionalism. 

Before Liz could take a step, Philip protested. 

"She stays," he said with his still barely audible voice. He held out his hand, and Liz walked over to the bed and took it in hers as she sat beside him. "If not for her, I'd probably be dead. She stays!"

The two doctors delivered the prognosis. His vocal cords would heal on their own and he needed to limit speaking for a few days. The wounds from the neck down would also heal with continued treatment. As for the eye, they were hopeful that the swelling would go down on its own. If not, they would have to do a procedure to remove the fluid and possible blood behind his eye. Otherwise, it could do permanent damage to his sight. As for the memory loss, it was common with patients that have experienced trauma or a head injury. In Philip's case, he had experienced both. Unfortunately, there was no time line on how long it would last. It's often temporary and you may get flashes of memory. In severe cases it's permanent. If the flashes come, hold on to them. They may not make sense at the time, but they mean something in regards to your identity.  
Dr. Thomas promised to follow up in a few days to check the patient's progress. 

Liz walked them to the door and Dr. Thomas gave her a swift hug and looked at her for a moment. 

"What? Why are you giving me that look?"

"Darling Liz, I apologize if I'm over stepping here, but do I sense a spark between you and Mr. Philip?"

She laughed out loud. "Dr. Thomas, don't be ridiculous. It's only been six months since I lost Charles. How could you think such a thing?"

"I apologize again. I shouldn't have said anything. He gave her another hug and whispered in her ear, It's ok for you to keep living." 

He pulled away and resumed Dr. mode. 

"I will call you in a few days." 

She shut the door behind him and stood against it. She didn't even realize she was holding her breath until she felt herself exhale loudly. She couldn't process the doctor's words right now.  
She returned to Philip. 

"I'll let you rest. You must be tired after all that. I'll bring you lunch in about an hour."

"Liz," His voice was a whisper, not from the injury but from fear that she would hear the tears in his voice.

"I have no right to ask you this, but would you lay with me until I fall asleep? I feel so alone and empty inside." 

He looked away from her, so she wouldn't see the tears. Before she knew it, she had curled up next to him and rested her head against his chest, careful not to hurt him. She placed her hand on his cheek and gently turned his head to face her. 

"You will never be alone as long as I'm here." 

She gave him a soft peck on the cheek and the two soon fell asleep in each other's arms, both needing the warm touch of the other.


	8. Chapter 8

It was well after two in the afternoon when she awoke. She lifted her head slowly; so as to not disturb him, but he was already awake. She stuttered her words as she spoke.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just. I guess I."

"He pressed a finger to her lips. Do I appear to be upset? Clearly you needed the rest and I needed the company."

He whispered all of this to her because she had forbidden him to even attempt to speak above a whisper for the next two days. She was about to attempt to speak again, when he cut her off before she had the chance. 

"No upsetting the patient. Doctor's orders."

With that, he flashed her that smirky grin, she had seen the day before. She had no words. His smile made her stupid. He flashed those dimples and she forgot how to function properly.

The next two days were the same routine of tending wounds and fixing meals. He watched out the window a lot and walked through the house some but she still didn't trust what may be lurking near by. She had apologized on several occasions for not having a television or cable. She offered to go buy one and rent some movies but he declined the offer. 

"I don't even know what kind of movies I like."

She knew he was trying to make light of a bad situation, but it broke her heart knowing he may never find the answers he was searching for and the pain this caused him. Nonetheless, she tried to make light of it too.

"Well we have that in common. My sister constantly tells me I'm so out of touch that I wouldn't even know if I was standing right next to a famous celebrity."

"Maybe I'm famous. You better be nice to me."

Thankfully the phone rang before he could smile and make her turn into a teenage school girl. 

She hung up the phone and informed him the doctors would arrive in the morning for a follow up. 

"Well are you going to tuck me in for the night?"

She gave him a playful scowl, but she did just that and then made her way to the couch before he could ask for her to join him. She wasn't sure she could say no, or if she even wanted to.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a clue to Philip's true identity in this chapter. If you figure it out, please don't reveal it. The mystery is part of the appeal!
> 
> This was my favorite chapter to write so far. I hope you enjoy it!

The doctors' gave good news. Everything was healing nicely, including the eye and barring any complications they wouldn't need to return. 

Liz carried in a tray with coffee for them and tea for Philip. Liz sat down the tray, just as Dr. Thomas told Philip he wanted to see how his voice sounded. As Liz handed out the coffee and was about to hand Philip his tea, he spoke at a normal volume for the first time.

"You might need to ask Liz if that's ok. She acts like my mum when it comes to this medical stuff."

The tea cup shattered all over the floor and all eyes were on Liz. There was no hiding her shock. 

"You're British! BLOODY HELL," she shouted in a terrible impression that sounded more like Oliver Twist, than Philip. "Did you know you were bloody British?" "Why do I keep saying bloody with every sentence?"

Dr. Thomas pulled up a chair for the nearly hyperventilating Liz. 

"I guess I never thought about it." Does it bother you that I'm British?" he asked puzzled."

"I need a moment to handle this!" was all she said before she dropped into the chair. 

The doctors' left the awkward scene shortly after telling Philip, he was clear to talk at a normal volume and Dr. Thomas added, with a grin, "Try not to cause Ms. Elizabeth anymore episodes." 

"Liz talk to me! What is with the reaction?"

She wasn't listening to him. She was in another land, probably in the UK. Her mind was swirling. First the smile with dimples included, then flirting and a warm embrace she hadn't felt in so long, and now an English accent. She felt an arousal that had been dormant for over two years now. With the declining health of Charles, it was no longer an option or a desire. At the thought of Charles, guilt swept over her. Guilt and lust were intertwined and rushed through her body. Her pulse was racing. She could feel it in every part of her and she felt the air being sucked out of her lungs.

"I can't breathe."

She raced out the door and down to the dock, not stopping until she reached the chair Charles spent so many days in. The tears flowed like a rapid river. She sobbed uncontrollably. She felt like she was betraying Charles and the life he had built for them. It was too soon to feel this way and for someone she barely knew, for someone she didn't even know the real version of. She was unaware that Philip was on the dock with her. He touched her shoulder and she nearly jumped in the lake. His concern was written all over his face. 

"Liz, you are frightening me. Please talk to me. Whatever it is...we can fix it."

The mention of the word "we" sent her into a full on meltdown. She was crying so hard she was shaking and in between her gasps and hysterics, her rambling was difficult to keep up with.

"It's you and I just can't. I can't even. Oh my God, I'm horrible. And Charles. I'm sorry my love. It's too soon. And you! With the cheeks and dimples! And now you're British!"

She had lost all control of herself and started to fall to her knees. Philip caught her and pulled her against his chest. He could feel her trembling in his arms. As he tried to console her, she suddenly yanked free from his grasp. 

"I need. I need. I. I. I."

"Liz I understand. Please just try to calm down. Take a deep breath. You need air."

He stepped towards her and she pushed him away. She was suddenly angry and shouted at him. 

"I NEED SPACE...NOT JUST AIR!"

He froze and the color drained from his face. He grabbed his head with both hands. 

"Philip!"

Liz screeched at him. She forgot all her anger and helped him to the chair. He was still holding his head and saying nothing! 

"Philip, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost? Do I need to call Dr. Adam? Please Philip! Say something!"

He looked at her with a blank stare.

"I've said that before."

"Said what?"

"I need space not just air.  
I could hear the words in my head, in my voice and then they were gone. What could it mean?" 

She could hear the desperation in his voice. 

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

She put her head against his and the two sat in silence, having no idea they were being watched.


	10. Chapter 10

The two men stood at the edge of the woods, in the exact spot Philip had appeared from, although they knew him by a different name. They had watched the whole exchange between Liz and Philip, while quietly arguing over who was going to be the one to notify their boss.   
They stepped back into the woods as Liz and Philip made their way back to the cabin, trying to overhear the conversation.

"Philip are you sure you are okay? Should I call the doctor?"

"Liz I'm fine. Whatever the image was, it's gone now. You are still stuck with a bloody Brit that doesn't know who he is."

He flashed her that dimpled smile once again and nudged her playfully. She smiled back, but she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, that she couldn't explain. Once the two were inside, the men once again stepped out of the shadows. They both spoke at the same time. 

"He doesn't remember anything." 

Finally after a diplomatic discussion of rock, paper, scissors, the losing man dialed the phone and informed the man calling the shots of their discovery and awaited further instructions. After informing their boss that the man calling himself Philip had no memory of his former self, he made his decision. They were instructed to leave the man to live his new life and to keep tabs on his condition. This new discovery might just work out better than anything he had planned. If "Philip" continued to live this new life, it would be that much easier for him to take over his old life.


	11. Chapter 11

As Spring turned into Summer, Philip and Liz fell into a routine. Aside from a few lingering bruises, Philip's body had completely healed. He transitioned into the man of the house, without even realizing it. In his mind, he was just being helpful and trying to repay Liz, the only way he knew how. Liz on the other hand continued to struggle with her emotions. She felt sadness as she watched him do simple tasks, such as carrying in groceries or mowing grass because they were things Charles loved to do. Then they were things he was no longer able to do. Worse than sadness she felt guilt at the feeling she got watching him mow grass. He never wore a shirt and the sweat glistened off his chest and down his stomach, illuminating his delicious abs. His biceps seemed to harden with every swipe of the yard and his back muscles would tighten as he pushed the mower up and down the hillside behind the cabin. She would catch herself biting her bottom lip as she watched him from a distance. She always kept her distance. It was not because she didn't trust him, but rather because she didn't trust herself.  
She continued to resist her attraction to him and he pretended not to notice her stolen glances his way, because he knew that's what she needed. He had decided that any advancement in their relationship would be up to her. She had given him a second chance at life. Now would she let him, give her a second chance at love?


	12. Chapter 12

The two men were never very far away, but they began making fewer trips, as the end result was always the same. They would "observe" and then report back to their boss that nothing had changed and the man continued to call himself Philip. "Excellent," said the man behind it all. As Damian Chase hung up the phone, he smiled an evil grin of pure satisfaction. As he was praising himself, the doors to his office flew open, shaking him from his thoughts. As the woman entered, Damian motioned to the secretary that it was ok.

Damian stood quickly from his chair and went to the woman.

"Rachel, darling, what's troubling you?"

He was always so kind and gentle when she was around and sadly she had no idea how ruthless the man she was in bed with, really was.

"Damian, I need closure. It's been almost two months since my husband just vanished, and I haven't heard anything."

Damian thought to himself, 'Nor will you hear from him...ever again.' However he knew this moment would come and he would have to provide Rachel with some sort of proof, that her husband had chosen to leave. It was either that or tell her the truth of how her husband had confronted him about their affair. As the exchange became heated, he managed to knock him in the head with a paper weight and stood watching the blood ooze from his head while he lay motionless on the floor, where she now stood.

"Darling, I told you how he came to me."

Rachel interrupted him.

"I know what you told me, but I need to hear it from him. I need to know he's okay. He is still my husband after all."

Damian could feel his blood boil and he was glad Rachel was looking away from him. Oh how he wanted to tell her how his hired goons had dragged her precious husband out of the building and tossed him in the trunk of a car. His thoughts continued to unravel. Maybe she should hear how they kept him tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse and tortured him for days. He would of course leave out the part that through all the torture he endured, he still refused to sign the divorce papers. Instead, he took a deep breath to calm himself. He couldn't let Rachel see this side of him. It would ruin everything. So instead of calling her a stupid bitch and slapping her in the face; like he had the urge to do, he knelt next to her with a soft smile.

"Rachel, don't you believe what I told you? Don't you trust me? Don't you love me?"

"Yes to all. Of course I love you. I was leaving him for you...for us. It just doesn't make sense that he would just come to you and not confront me." 

"My sweet, beautiful darling, I have the proof you so desperately yearn for, but it will be painful to hear. I'm trying to protect you from that pain."

She looked as though she had indeed, been slapped in the face.

"What proof do you have?"

"I have his confession recorded, but please don't ask me to put you through that unnecessary pain. I never want to be the cause of your pain."

She showed no emotion and for the first time since he'd met her, he couldn't get a read on her. Her face was without expression as she looked him in the eyes."

"Play it, NOW!"


	13. Chapter 13

Rachel watched as Damian went around to his computer and began quickly pressing the keys. Technology was not her strong suit but she knew enough to know Mr. Chase had the best of it, all around him. He had to admit he was a bit nervous. He was very good at being convincing, he just hoped he was good enough to convince her. It had taken him days to manipulate this recording just the way he wanted it. After hours of editing, he had created very compelling evidence that Rachel's husband wanted nothing more to do with her and had in fact told Chase, "You can have my damn wife." She didn't need to know he had actually said, "Damn you, you can't just have my wife." She also didn't need to know, this entire recording was filled with recreations of the actual truth. Rachel was a statuesque as she listened to her husband's voice tell Damian he was done with her and he no longer loved her. As the recording finished with him declaring he'd gladly sign the divorce papers, she felt the burning in her eyes as the tears escaped down her cheeks. Why was she so upset? She had gotten what she wanted. She would be divorced and free to be with Damian. Nevertheless; the chill of his Arctic tone sent a shiver down her spine.   
Damian was back at her side again, wiping her tears while internally raging at them. She finally made eye contact with him.

"Did he sign the papers?"

Luckily he had learned long ago not to say what initially came to mind. They say money can't buy happiness. Well it can certainly buy one hell of a convincing forgery, that will get you the woman you want divorced. Sounded like happiness to him. He fought the urge to smile and managed to look somber. He said nothing, answering her with a nod.

"You have had signed divorce papers all this time and didn't bother to tell me? What the hell, Damian?" 

"Sweetheart"

"Don't sweetheart me, you piece of shit."

She stood up so quickly that he fell backwards landing on his ass. She had never talked to him this way. He didn't know whether to be impressed or infuriated. She paced along the length of the desk, unaware that with each lap she stepped on the spot that had not so long ago been covered with her husband's blood. Damian got to his feet and made his way towards her. He knew he had to appeal to her compassionate nature.

"I was afraid to tell you. I was afraid that if you knew how little he cared about you, it would break your heart. I wanted to know you wanted me for the right reasons, not because you felt abandoned by him."

He set in the chair, previously occupied by Rachel, with his head in his hands and began to cry. He had been faking tears for women for so long that he should win an Oscar for his performance. As expected, Rachel began consoling him.

"I'm sorry for my reaction. I do want this. I want you. Damian Chase, I love you and only you. Where do we go from here?"

He grabbed her in a tight embrace, so she couldn't see his lack of tears.

"Just leave everything to me," he whispered, the evil smirk returning.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains feels.

Now that Philip had moved into the guest room upstairs, Liz had no excuses left not to clean out the room that held most of Charles's belongings. She had already given Philip several T-shirts and jeans. It no longer bothered her to see him wearing them. She wasn't sure if it was because they were items typical of most wardrobes or because she was so used to seeing Charles in loungewear, anything else was a distant memory. She knew, it was time. While Philip was busying himself outside; knowing Liz needed to do this alone, she began the daunting task. She had decided to donate most of the medical supplies, hoping she would not need them again. The entire process went smoother than she had imagined. Before she knew it, she had sorted and organized everything into keep or donate piles. All that was left was Charles's dark chestnut leather jacket, still hanging in the closet. He looked so handsome in it. It fit him like a glove and the smell of him mixed with leather was intoxicating to her. She couldn't resist the need to put it on and try to capture that smell one last time. She wrapped herself in the jacket, closed her eyes, and stuck her hands deep into the pockets. She was quickly pulled from her memory when she felt something against her hand. She removed a folded piece of paper, with the words, To My Beloved Lizzie, with a heart beside it. He was the only one that ever called her that. It was a letter from Charles. She sat in the floor, propped against the hand crafted Cedar Chest, Charles had made her. She loved cedar more than any other wood, the smell, the colors, everything about it was beautiful. It had become her reading nook while Charles was sick. She had spent countless hours against it. It allowed her to be near him and have her own little escape from reality at the same time.  
It was the best gift he had ever given her, until now. Her hands trembled as she carefully opened the letter. Tears filled her eyes as she began to read...

My Dearest Lizzie,  
If you are reading this, it means I wasn't able to give you the forever I promised. I am so sorry my beautiful blue eyed Goddess, that I had to leave you too soon. I'm sorry for the pain it has caused you, but my love you must not let the pain consume you. If I know you as well as I hope, you are reading this while wearing my jacket, propped against your cedar chest. Reading that just made you smile through your tears, of finding this in the first place. If all those things are true, then trust that I also know what an honor it is to love you, and what a privilege it is to be loved by you. Please don't deprive yourself of that feeling and please don't deprive the individual lucky enough to make you feel that way. Elizabeth Marie James, I will always cherish our life together, but I need you to continue to live your life to the fullest in every way. My final wish for you; my angel, is as simple as the words you had me paint on the entrance of the Oasis. Promise me and promise yourself, you will continue to...Live, Laugh and Love once again.

Love Always,   
Charlie Bear ❤️

Liz must have read the letter a dozen times. Each time, she cried and laughed just as he knew she would. Finally she stood, folded the letter back into the pocket and placed the jacket inside the chest. As she closed the lid of the chest, she also felt her own personal closure.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance. This chapter will frustrate several but I giant clue is revealed to Philip's identity. It should give it away!!!

With daylight almost gone, Philip walked through the door cautiously, not knowing what state he would find Liz in. Before he even shut the door behind him, Liz wrapped her arms around him, throwing her head against his chest. He held her as tightly as he could. He would hold onto her as long as she would allow him too. This was the most contact he had, had with her since that day on the dock. He could feel her body tremble beneath his touch. He needed to get her to bed. She had taken care of him when he needed it, now it was his turn. Without a word, he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up. Liz was momentarily startled but didn't resist. She wrapped her legs around him, moved her arms up his back allowing her to hold onto him and rested her head against his shoulder. He kicked the front door shut with his foot and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, as if she was weightless. He released his grip on her waist, but she didn't let go of him. She lifted her head and they locked eyes. She held his gaze for a long moment and neither of them said a word. He finally felt her legs releasing their grip on his waist. As her grip loosened he swiftly pulled the covers back with one hand and leaning forward gently laid her onto the bed. She seemed to melt into the mattress. He carefully undid the button and zipper on her jeans. She arched her hips just enough for him to slide them over her ass. He fought the urge to just roll her over and bite that sweet ass. As he continued to remove her pants followed by her shirt he wished she knew how beautiful she was to him. Everything from her brilliant blue eyes to the subtle auburn highlights that were magnified in the sunlight. She was near the point of exhaustion as he slipped the Batman nightgown over her head. She was just awake enough to catch his smirk as he pulled it down over her body. She tried to give him an evil scowl. Little did she know, the way her nose scrunched when she did that made him want to kiss every inch of her face and not stop there. 

"My sister got it for me years ago. We grew up watching Michael Keaton. Apparently their have been others but there is only one Batman for me." 

With that dimpled smirk still on his face, he leaned over and kissed her gently, on the forehead. 

"Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It was nice," he said sincerely. 

He wondered what his past was like but didn't let her see his desperation. Instead, he did as he always did, and made a joke. He wondered if he was this big of a joker in his previous life? As he reached the doorway, he called over his shoulder, I hope you and your Batman have a hell of an adventure tonight. He chuckled and turned to find her fast asleep.

"Sweet Dreams Beautiful," he said as he exited the room, knowing she wouldn't hear him. He headed down the hallway to his own room. He stared at the ceiling, his mind wandering back to the encounter moments ago. He wondered what it would be like to hold her, kiss her, make love to her. He imagined her touch against him until he drifted off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contains foul language

The next few days were active for everyone, especially Damian. He wasted no time in filing the divorce papers. Not surprisingly, he found a Judge willing to grant the divorce even if both parties weren't present. He would declare it abandonment. The signatures would be enough to declare both of them agreed to all the terms. It was also no surprise he was able to get it expedited and the hearing was in two weeks. Rachel would question this, but lying to her was as easy as breathing these days. She trusted him completely and he knew it. Soon, very soon she would have half of all the assets and then he would convince her to marry him and he would be rich. After all, what good was power without money? He was a good businessman but he needed to be a great businessman and he was as far as appearances were concerned. However, always getting what he wanted had cost a lot but he was on his way to refilling his bank account and that hot little piece of ass was just a bonus, he told himself time and again. More importantly than finalizing the divorce was the immediate issue of making sure "Philip" didn't suddenly remember himself in the next two weeks. He needed his goons to keep a closer watch on the cabin until things were finalized. Getting inside to plant a bug was too risky, instead he ordered them to put a tap on the phone lines. One of those fools; he could never remember their names, made the mistake of whining about his command.

"Listen here you little fuck. For the amount of money I'm paying you, you don't get to ask questions. I don't care if you have to ride on a monkey's back to get to the top of that pole. Just get it done. And if you two could get your dick's out your hands to take some useful photos with all that fancy camera shit you've got, it would be FANFUCKINGTASTIC! Get me something I can use besides a fucking hug and puppy dog eyes."

He slammed down the phone and leaned back in his high-back leather chair. He didn't understand why Philip, as he is calling himself hadn't made a move on that little tart yet. Those idiots working for him had been ordered to take passionate photos and so far all he had seen were a few hugs. Why wasn't he tapping that bitch. She had a sweet ass and her tits were perfect. He wouldn't mind motor boatn' those babies himself!!! He licked his lips as he looked at the pictures of Liz. He threw the pictures in his desk drawer and propped his legs over the corner of his desk. He needed Rachel to see more. She had accepted her husband had left, but that would only satisfy her for so long. Damian hoped that just because the man had forgotten who he was that he hadn't also forgotten how to fuck a bitch.

Just then Rachel came through the door and Damian flipped on the happy, like it was a light switch.

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" 

"I thought I would bring you lunch, to apologize for my outburst the other day."

He internally rolled his eyes. Her idea of an outburst needed some work. 

"Darling you have no need to apologize. This is a very difficult time for you and I understand that. But I do know what I'd like to eat for lunch."

He sauntered over to her and began nibbling at her neck, as he knew it drove her wild. 

"Lunch is delicious so far. Lets see what else is on the menu."

As he continued devouring every inch of Rachel's body he couldn't help but think of how everything was falling into place just the way he wanted it!


	17. Chapter 17

The goons had gotten the phone situation under control, although they still weren't sure what the point was. It's not like this chick was a social butterfly. My 83 year old grandma is more in touch with the outside world than this broad is, one of them had commented. Nevertheless; they had followed orders, not wanting to face the wrath of Mr. Chase. They had seen first hand, how far he would go to destroy a man's life to get what he wanted, or sometimes it seemed just for fun. Damian Chase was not one you wanted to piss off. 

Philip came out of the bathroom from just shaving. Luckily it was just a trim. Liz found his beard extremely sexy, of course beards were always better in her opinion. 

"How does it look?" he asked tilting his head back, gliding his hand up and down his neck.

Liz swallowed hard and hoped he hadn't noticed. When the hell did necks become sexy, she thought to herself. 

"Liz. Hello."

"Sorry. It looks fine." 

She brushed past him into the bathroom feeling her face flush. 

"Is there any chance you can cut hair? I'm starting to look a little ragged."

"You are anything but ragged" she mumbled. "Sure. I'll meet you downstairs in 5 minutes."

As she finished up his hair, she came around and stood in front of him, checking to make sure it was even. She ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. Without even realizing it, she was tugging a handful in each hand. He let his head fall back from the force. She realized at that moment what she was doing, but didn't stop there. She pulled his head forward so that their eyes met. His eyes were usually a rich Mocha brown, but on occasion, such as today they were a golden hazel. She liked this shade best. They had an added sparkle to them. She straddled his lap, but remained standing, her eyes never leaving his until she leaned in and kissed his lips softly and slowly. She pulled away and held his gaze once again.

"Was that ok?" she asked shyly. 

"Was that ok? Are you serious? Do you know how long I've been waiting for that?"

She smiled sheepishly and then for the first time in her life, she gave up all self control. She covered his mouth hard with her own. He matched her intensity until his tongue found its way past her lips. She grabbed his hair and pulled harder this time. He let out a visceral moan as she kissed her way down his neck to his Adam's apple, grazing his skin with her teeth along the way. He pulled her onto his lap and she felt his hardness against her. With both hands on her hips, he held her in place while he moved his hips back and forth. He wanted her to know how hard she had made him. She leaned her upper body forward still feeling him against her and kissed behind his ear until she reached his ear lobe. She tugged at it with her teeth and his sigh of pleasure was just the reaction she hoped for. She whispered in his ear...

"Philip, make love to me."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Philip stood up, grabbing her ass and carried her up the stairs. 

"Your ass is amazing," he said with a smile. 

He made his way to the bedroom and set her on the bed. She kept her legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him towards her as she laid back. He braced himself with his arms on either side of her. His arm muscles flexed tightly and she couldn't resist grabbing and even clawing them. He leaned into her, kissing her hard. Her pulse quickened and she breathed heavily as he continued his kisses down her neck. He pulled her upright and removed her shirt and bra, before removing his own shirt. She ran her hands against his chest hair and down his stomach until she reached and unfastened his jeans. Before she could remove them, he grabbed her hands.

"Not yet doll. I want to taste every inch of your beautiful body."

He pushed her back against the bed and resumed kissing her. Her lips. Her neck. He made his way to her breast, massaging one, while sucking the hardened nipple of the other. He alternated this process and then continued his kisses down her stomach. She could feel her heartbeat throughout her entire body as he made his way to her waist. He swiftly removed her pants, followed by her panties. He pushed her further back on the bed so that he could continue torturing her body. She yearned for him to be inside of her...and he knew it. He kissed and nibbled just above her vagina. Her body flexed under his touch as he moved to the inside of her thighs.

"Philip please. I want you...now."

"Patience my dear," he said with a wide grin displaying each layer of his dimples and then he buried his face between her legs. Her hips moved with the rhythm of his tongue as her hands found their way back to his hair. She pulled harder as he rubbed her sweet spot with his thumb. Her words were a hardened whisper.

"Oh Philip. Please. I need you."

As Liz begged for him, his hardened penis begged for release of his clothing. He finally gave in and removed his pants and boxers, displaying his full erectness. She bit her bottom lip as she stroked him, slowly, firmly. As she picked up speed, his head fell back displaying the length of his neck. She grasped him harder and he moaned loudly. 

In a whispered gasp he said, "Liz slow down or I'm going to finish before I even get started."

"Then you better get started," she said with a devilish grin.

She wrapped her legs around his ass, pulling him forward. Losing his balance he fell towards her. 

"Philip, I can't wait any longer."

Fully on top of her now, he asked teasingly, "Is this what you want?" as he pushed himself deep inside her. 

"Oh God yes!" 

He kissed her deeply as he continued to thrust himself into her. She moaned into his mouth as she bit his lower lip. This drove him deeper and harder into her. Their bodies were in perfect rhythm and they moved as one as she clawed at his back. It was a pleasurable pain and he let her know how much he liked it. He wrapped his arms under her back and grabbed her shoulders for leverage. She followed suit and wrapped her legs around his waist. His cock pounded into her hard and fast, both of them unable to speak, breathing heavily. Finally, finding his words, he looked deep her eyes.

"Are you close?"

"So close," she managed.

Being close himself, he continued his hard, rapid thrusts into her.

"Oh Philip, I'm going tooooo"

She was unable to finish her sentence as both of them found their release in a simultaneously explosion. Neither of them moved, trying to regain control of their breathing. He finally rolled onto his back, next to her and pulled her next to him, her head resting against his chest. 

"That was even better than I imagined." he said as his pulse began to return to normal.

He kissed the top of her head and the two of them lay together in blissful silence, in each other's arms.


	19. Chapter 19

Philip made love to Liz twice more before the they finally collapsed from exhaustion. She awoke the next morning and rolled over expecting to find Philip, instead feeling a cold pillow next to her. She was a bit disappointed and glad he wasn't there to see it. She slipped on her night shirt and made her way to the stairs where she saw him sitting at the table below. Although it was a modern piece, the wood had been distressed to appear old and weathered. It was her favorite part of the decor and the sight of him sitting next to it, in nothing but his boxers awakened her body. He felt her presence and smiled up at her. 

"Want some tea?"

The sight of him made her weak in the knees and she grabbed the railing for support as she made her way down to him.

"I want something hot and steamy, but it's not tea."

"Oh yeah! What exactly is it that you want," he asked as he pulled her down to him and kissed her lips. 

"I see your wearing your Batguy shirt again."

She tried and failed not to laugh. It wasn't funny that he didn't even remember simple things. Even those such as herself that hadn't watched TV in decades had heard of Batman.

"It's Batman," she said with a smile as she raised her eyebrows up and down. "Hubba hubba"

"Damn! If he has that effect on you, I'll be your Batman." 

"Oh yeah," she said straddling his lap. "Wanna explore the bat cave," she asked as she settled on his lap.

She knew it was corny and wasn't sure he got the reference anyway, nor did she care as she felt his growth beneath her as she flexed her hips back and forth against him. 

"Ohhhh Liz!"

She wasn't sure what had come over her. She was normally shy and a bit boring when it came to sex, but Philip had awakened an internal beast in her, that demanded to be fed. She released his full erection through the front hole of his boxers and stroked him as she leaned forward and kissed and occasionally nibbled at his collar bone. With his hand on the back of her neck he pulled her mouth down hard on his. His kisses alone left her breathless. Her nightshirt quickly found itself on the other side of the room. 

"I love your tits," he said as he focused all his attention on kissing, sucking, and massaging them. 

His attention to her breasts only fueled her fire. She grabbed the back of the chair for leverage and found her rhythm. She showed no mercy as she rode Philip like a Harley at bike week. He moaned over a mouth full of nipple and sank his fingertips into her back. She continued, harder...faster!   
She was so close and seconds later she arched her back and let out an orgasmic cry that surely shook the forest around her, as hard as it had shaken her own body. Philip, also close put his hands on her hips and thrusted up into her while holding her wetness against him. Soon he found the same magic release Liz had. She kissed him quickly several times before she stood. Feeling a bit like Bambi on ice, she took a moment to steady herself. 

"I need to shower and wash the fornication off of me," she giggled as she walked across the room to retrieve her shirt.

Philip came up behind her wrapping his arms around her waste. He kissed the spot on the back of her neck that made her whole body shutter.

"Yes. Go wash it off so I can give you a reason to need another shower before the day's end."

Between his words and his accent, she nearly melted into a puddle at his feet. He knew what he was doing to her, because she had the same effect on him. 

"Go shower," he said as he smacked her playfully on the ass. "I'll make us some breakfast and then we will think about dessert," he smiled. Those dimples would no doubt be the end of her.

He kissed her cheek as he turned towards the kitchen. He couldn't help but glance at his new favorite chair in the house, with a huge grin on his face.

"Whatever my life was before, it couldn't be better than this," he thought as he prepared breakfast for the woman he loved.


	20. Chapter 20

Damian laughed hard, almost maniacally, not at all the reaction the men expected him to have to the dining room escapades they have captured. His laughter continued until his side began to hurt. He noticed the puzzled looks from Dumb and Dumber.

"Do you fools not find the irony of this situation hilarious?" 

Before they could answer; he continued, more talking at them than to them. 

"Of course you dumbasses don't. Good thing I don't pay you to think. You'd be living in a van down by the river."

"Mr. Chase, there is something else you may want to know," one of them attempted to interject his banter of insults but he was fully in the center of his own universe and continued on, finding himself particularly amusing!

"She's wearing a batman shirt," he cackled. "As brilliant as I am, even I couldn't have planned this."

The two men remained puzzled. Damian rolled his eyes as he continued.

"She's wearing a Batman shirt and has no idea she's fucking Christian Bale. That shit is hysterical. But how does she not know who he is? He managed to find the one bitch on the planet that has no idea who he is or that she's fucking "Batman" while wearing a Batman shirt!" 

Damian laughed until he was in tears as he finally made it past the first photo, flipping until he came to a photo of Liz completely naked. 

"What a fine piece of ass. That bitch wouldn't be able to walk for a week after I got done fucking her."

"Sir," one of the men said louder this time, pulling him from his fantasy of plowing Liz. He looked up without saying a word, clearly pissed at their disturbance. They knew enough to talk quickly but given what they had to say, neither wanted to deliver the message.

"Well fucking say something or did you forget how to form sentences?"

One of them exhaled sharply and began. He told Damian of the calls Liz had made in the last few days. One was to a nearby hospice center. She had set up a time for them to pick up the items she planned to donate. Neither of them saw how this mattered, but he wanted to know about all calls. The second, and more alarming call was from Liz's sister, Abigail. The man explained the details to Damian in great length, per his request. The gist of it was, Abigail would be visiting the cabin in a couple weeks for her sister's birthday. Damian pounded his fists against the desk as he turned crimson from the neck up. 

"Why didn't you morons tell me this sooner, instead of letting me go on about this pussy," he demanded as he threw the pictures of Liz and Philip at them, sending Polaroids flying and scattering across the room. 

At that moment Rachel opened the door, nearly getting hit in the eye by a photo. It was a toss up to see who was more shocked at the sight of the other one. Damian tried with everything in him to get to her before she could focus on the photos. Sure he wanted them as leverage but only as a last resort. 

"Damian, what has you so angry," she asked as she picked up some of the photos, not yet looking at them. 

Damian nodded at his men and they knew to get out quickly. 

"We will continue this discussion later"

As he directed the men out, Rachel looked at the photos in horror. 

"Damian who were those men and what the hell are these," she demanded. 

Damian had to think quickly how to spin this as he pulled up a chair next to her. 

"Sweetheart I didn't want you to find out this way. I sincerely didn't."

"Don't tiptoe around my emotions. What is this about? Tell me the truth."

"Of course my dear. You know I would never lie to you," he lied. "Those men were private investigators. I knew how worried you were about his whereabouts and I was hoping to give you piece of mind."

Damian explained how Christian had been living with this other woman and that his men had just brought the photos moments before her arrival. He explained away his anger by telling her he was outraged at how easily her husband had given up on her and how he would fight till his death to keep her happy. 

Rachel sat silent looking at one of the photos for what seemed like an eternity. What she said next was the biggest shock of the day for Damian. Rachel cupped his face in her hands as she spoke.

"I appreciate you doing this for me, but it doesn't matter anymore. I've moved on and so should he. From this day forward I will always love you, and no one else." 

She kissed his lips and then he her hugged her in a tight embrace.

"Oh Rachel, I love you so much." 

He held her tighter as he mouthed, "What a dumb bitch," to the air behind her.


	21. Chapter 21

"Damian Alexander Chase, you are one brilliant son of a bitch, and let's not forget devilishly handsome," he said aloud to himself, with a wide grin on his face.

Everything was on schedule and running smoothly for his latest scheme and he was quite proud of himself for coming up with this one. From the information previously given by his men, he knew Liz had scheduled a pick up of medical supplies and as far as she knew everything was happening as planned. The pickup was indeed happening as scheduled but what Liz had no way of knowing is that the men that were about to arrive at her house were the very men that nearly killed her precious Philip. Against better judgement one of the men working for Chase had asked about this plan being risky. Damian exhaled heavily, clearly irritated that anyone would doubt, let alone question him.

"Of course it's risky but it's a necessary risk. Little Miss Sugar Tits has no idea who you are, so she won't be a problem."

Damian went on to explain the importance of this plan. It would allow them to come face to face with the man calling himself Philip and gauge his reaction. If seeing them didn't jog his memory, Mr. Chase may be in the clear. Damian had even gotten the men uniforms with their names on them. Well the names he wanted on them. Alfred and Gordon were both names Christian should know from his acting endeavors. While both men thought this was a terrible idea, they followed their orders without any further discussion. 

"Alfred" and "Gordon" arrived right on time and loaded the items according to Liz's instructions. They noticed Philip looking at them longer than a comfortable amount of time. However, the fact he hadn't put them through a wall made them feel certain he didn't recognize them. After the two men had left, Liz turned to find Philip sitting at the table with his head buried in his hands. She hurried over to him.

"Philip, what's wrong? Did you remember something?"

He was very unsettled and the look of alarm on his face scared her. He was quiet for several minutes and she remained silent as well. Finally he looked at her and tried to explain the feeling that he himself didn't understand. 

"I got a bad feeling about those two men. I can't explain it in a way that makes any sense but I didn't like them and those names seem oddly familiar, but I don't know how or why. It's as if I should know something about them, but I don't remember what."

Liz felt helpless watching him look so hopeless. She told him she would phone Dr. Thomas, but he insisted that she not. He pulled her into his lap and held her cheek in his hand.

"I'm sorry to have worried you dear. It's frustrating not knowing who I was, but I know who I want to be." 

Liz pulled back looking at him a bit bewildered. Before she could ask, he answered her question.

"I want to be the man who spends every day looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the most amazing woman in the world."

Liz felt her face flush and smiled at him softly before kissing his face where his glorious dimples would have been displayed, if he were smiling. She tried to be lighthearted through her growing concern.

"That's a bold statement considering you don't know all the women in the world."

"I don't need to know any other women to know how lucky I am to have found you."

The two sat in silence as Damian's men watched from a distance, reporting back to their boss that their visit seemed to have rattled Philip, but not enough for him to remember his true identity.

That night was a haunting sleep for Philip, and Liz was awakened by his screams, loud and angry. 

"Where is she," was all Liz could make out before Philip awoke; shaking, in a cold sweat, with tears running down his face.


	22. Chapter 22

The tension could be cut with a knife the next morning. Liz had held Philip in her arms until he drifted back to sleep. The discussion as to who "She" was had only upset Philip more. All he could recall was pushing through a set of double wooden doors and demanding to know where "she" was. As the figure behind the desk began to turn his direction, he woke up. He had no idea who "She" was or what it meant. As she held his trembling body against her, she reassured him everything would be ok, when every part of her believed the opposite. Liz wasn't sure if she had slept at all as she downed her second cup of coffee and headed for another. As she stood in front of the sink gazing out the kitchen window at the wooded area where Philip had fallen into her life, her mind drifted off. She was deep in thought when Philip approached from behind. He put his hand on her shoulder and without even thinking, she spun around making contact with his jaw. 

"What the Fuck Liz," Philip groaned as he held his cheek.

"Oh My God," Liz gasped in horror. "Philip I am so sorry. Instinct must have kicked in or something. I've never hit anyone before? How'd I do?"

Philip looked up at her and seeing her smile and sparkling blue eyes, his anger dissolved. Liz apologized a dozen more times as she retrieved some ice and instructed him to go lie on the couch in the next room. Seeing as how it was an open floor plan she was still able to see him as he walked to the couch. In spite of just punching him the face she couldn't help but enjoy his firm ass in those tight boxers.   
As she put the ice against his swollen face, he smirked at her and asked how she planned to make this up to him. 

"I'm sure I could think of a few ways," she replied as she gently kissed his cheek around the already purplish area. She continued to kiss his face down to his neck, towards his chest. Every time her teeth contacted flesh, Philip let out a low moan of pleasure. 

"Why Elizabeth Grace are you trying to take advantage of me so I'll forget you just assaulted me?"

She could hear the laughter in his voice as she shifted her eyes to his, momentarily stopping her shower of kisses.

"Is it working," she asked raising her eyebrows up and down.

"I haven't decided. You should continue until I make up my mind."

She barely heard him once those dimples were displayed. She swore his dimples had dimples and they were her kryptonite. She refocused her attention to his body as she straddled him and continued trailing kisses down his chest to his stomach until she reached the waistband of his black boxers. She tugged at the elastic barrier between her and her destination. The sensation of her tongue mixed with desire for her made Philip flex his hips against her. She could feel his growing hardness and continued to tease him with her tongue gliding over his nakedness. Finally she slowly removed his boxers revealing his full erectness. She stroked his entire length increasing her speed and then slowing down, not wanting him to find his release so soon. She circled the tip of his penis with her tongue before covering all of him with her mouth. He grabbed the back of the couch as he searched for breath and words.

"That's fucking incredible," is all he came up with. He ran his other hand through her hair as she continued up and down against his massive cock. 

"Liz I'm close, he managed through ragged breath.

With that, Liz began to slow her speed and pulled her mouth away. She stroked him softly with one hand while she managed to remove her panties with the other. When she was aligned with him she glided his penis inside her wet opening very, very slowly, leaving Philip begging for her. 

"Please Liz, don't tease me. I want."

"You want what," she asked playfully as she rotated her hips in a circular motion still not allowing him fully inside her. 

"I want you. All of you!"

With that she came down pushing all his hardness deep inside her hot wet flesh that yearned for him. She moved up and down, completely in control of her own orgasm. He grabbed her hips pulling her down hard against him. She took both his hands in her own using them for leverage as she increased her speed growing closer to her own release. She threw her head back and let out a growling release as she came hard, her satisfaction spilling onto him and he couldn't hold back any longer as he followed with his own orgasmic release. Liz collapsed against him, resting her head against his chest. She remained still listening to his rapid heartbeat try to find it's normal rhythm. Both of them said nothing, ignoring the elephant in the room. Who is this "She" and what did it mean for them?


	23. Chapter 23

Finally after a few days of not saying anything Liz couldn't hold back any longer. 

"Philip we have to discuss your dream."

She had seen many emotions out of him but never annoyance, until now.

"Liz there is nothing to discuss. I don't know who she is. It could be my dog for all I know."

Liz wasn't sure which bothered her more, his dismissive attitude or his downplaying the impact this could have for her, for him, and who knew how many others. She snapped back at him sharper than she had intended.

"Or it could be your wife making me an adulterous whore!"

This took Philip by surprise and for the first time he saw things from her perspective. He walked over to the couch; where Liz sat, blankly staring out the window. She was trying desperately to fight the tears that threatened an escape at any moment. He sat next to her and took her hand in his. 

"Liz I'm sorry. I can't put into words how awful I feel. I'm so busy feeling sorry for me that I didn't think about the full impact this has on you."

She had put up a good fight but the tears won the battle and ran victoriously down her cheeks. He wiped away a stream as his heart ached at having caused this beautiful angel, pain. 

"Liz please talk to me. Tell me what's going through that pretty little head of yours."

She had been holding so much back for so long and it all came flooding out at once. Through her sobs, she poured her heart out to him. 

"I feel so selfish."

He started to speak, undoubtedly trying to console her when she put her hand up to his mouth. Four fingers covered his lips as she asked him to please let her finish without interrupting, and continued. 

"Of course I want you to get your memory back, to regain a lifetime of stolen memories. Good or bad, I want you to know who you are and who or what you left behind. But their is a part of me that selfishly hopes you never remember and that you will always be my Philip."

"I will always be your Philip," he interrupted before she could stop him. 

"You can't promise me that and you shouldn't promise that. What if you have a wife and kids and a career? You can't just abandoned that and even the selfish part of me, would never want you to. The guilt alone would destroy us. 

"Liz you are jumping to conclusions, we have no way of knowing. If I had a wife don't you think I would know it? Even without my memory, I should feel it in my heart. My heart belongs to you and only you. 

"For now," she muttered softly. What happens when you have more dreams and more memories? What happens when your heart catches up to your head and you one day suddenly remember you love someone else? Philip, I love you but I can't just sit here waiting on a broken heart. We have to find out who she is and what she means to you."

Philip was beaming from ear to ear, not the reaction she was expecting at all. 

"What the hell are you smiling about," she asked agitatedly. 

He kissed the top of her hand before speaking. Looking directly into her brilliant blue eyes he adored so much, he responded.

"I love you too."

Liz hadn't even realized the words had come out of her mouth until that moment, but she knew she meant it and she knew hearing him say them back was going to make things even harder, on them both.


	24. Chapter 24

Damian arrived at his office to find the goons waiting on him. This was never good news and he was already in a pissy mood. Rachel had blown him off last night for some book club bullshit. Sometimes he wondered how she had ever landed a man in the first place, let alone one of Bale's stature. They followed Damian into his office and stood silently until he gave them permission to speak.

"What brings you fucktards here?" 

They informed him of the increasing tension between Philip and Liz and how she was cleaning like her life depended on it. It seemed washing windows and scrubbing floors till you could eat off them was preferable to getting within touching distance of Philip. 

"I think we have a problem boss. She seems to be pulling away and he's trying harder than ever to remember."

"You know what that bitch needs? She needs a good dose of my balls slapping her ass!"

Neither man said a word. They knew Damian well enough to know he was worried, that he had fucked up by sending them to the cabin. They also knew he would never admit fault and it was best to keep their mouth's shut at all cost. 

"A phone call would have been fine. Why did you need to piss in my Cheerios in person?"

They had brought pictures confirming the distance between the two. None of the pictures in the last few days showed them touching in any way. This definitely put a glitch in his plans. He could see the concern on Philip's face and the pain on Liz's.

"FUUUUCCCCKKK," he screamed internally but simply said he would handle it and told them to get out. The two looked at each other, both hopeful the other would speak first. As they reached the door one of them finally took the plunge. 

"Boss their is one more thing."

"Well don't just stand there like you've got a cock in your mouth. Spit it out," he chuckled at his own punnyness.

"Liz spoke to her sister and she will be arriving at the end of the week."

Somehow Damian had forgotten all about Abigail's upcoming visit, but that bitch would have to be handled. Liz was likely the only person on the planet that didn't know who Christian Bale was and her sisters visit would ruin everything. 

"I'll be in touch," was all he said before kicking them out. As they opened the door to leave, Rachel was standing on the other side. All three men became instant statues.

"Good morning fellas," she said nonchalantly. "Am I interrupting something?"

The men visibly relaxed and Mr. Chase instantly transformed into his "sweet side."

"Not at all darling. Come on in. They were just leaving."

The two men waisted no time bolting out the door. Rachel closed the door behind them and crossed the room, stopping in front of Damian's desk. 

"How was your book club sweetheart," Damian asked, not really giving a shit but trying to ease the tension he felt within himself. What happened next he could never have prepared himself for. Rachel slammed both hands against the top of the desk glaring at him. Without raising her voice, she answered without taking her eyes off of him.

"It was great. The book was called, Sit Down and Shut the Fuck Up, You Imbecile." 

Damian, stunned and speechless did just that. This was a side of Rachel he could never had imagined or prepared himself for. She walked around his desk, rubbing her finger along the edges as she made her way to a still stunned Damian. She climbed onto his lap and kissed his lips and then his cheek. She continued trailing kisses along his jawline and up his neck until she reached ear. As she tugged at his earlobe with her teeth, she felt his hardness against her leg. She continued to tease him with her tongue until her lips were against his ear. His arousal intensified as he rubbed his hand up her leg trying to get to her ass. She placed her hand on top of his stopping his pursuit as she whispered in his ear, laughter in her voice. 

"My silly little fuckmeat, did you actually think you were the mastermind behind this scheme? That's adorable." 

Abruptly she stood up and kissed his lips swiftly while patting his cheek mockingly. 

"I'll handle the sister. Apparently when a vagina is involved, you become a pussy."

She crossed the room and exited without looking behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know she had knocked the arrogant bastard, Damian Chase off the pedestal he had placed himself so high upon.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. Hope you enjoy!

Liz woke early as the sunlight flooded through her bedroom window and the birds chirped in the distance. As she took in the sounds around her, she became aware that she felt uneasy about her sisters pending arrival. With the tension that lingered between her and Philip, she wasn't sure Abby's presence was a good thing. However, she was determined to put that aside for the time being. Tomorrow was her birthday and she and her sister had always been together for this occasion. She made her way downstairs and prepared herself a cup of tea. As she stirred the steamy cup of Earl Grey, the phone rang.

"Abby, I can't wait to see you," Liz squealed into the phone. 

Her joy was quickly filled with disappointment as Abby explained the mysterious car trouble. It had been running fine last night, but this morning, it wouldn't start. Being that it was the weekend it wasn't likely she could get it repaired without paying a small fortune. Liz couldn't hide her disappointment and cried into the phone. 

"Abby, I need you here with me. Take a cab," Liz pleaded. 

Abby explained the costs of taking a cab that far, twice. Suddenly an idea occurred to her.

"Liz, why don't you just come here?"

Liz hesitated. Sure things were tense right now, but could she leave Philip here alone, should she? It seemed he was safe but she felt uneasy about the possibility of someone returning to finish what they started. Given that her sister knew very little about Philip, she couldn't think of any reason to say no to her offer.

"Sure Abby, that sounds great. I'll leave this afternoon. I'll call you before I leave."

As the two hung up, Liz hoped Abby hadn't detected the apprehension in her voice. She slid down the cabinets into the floor. She dropped her head between her knees and ran her fingers through her hair. Suddenly, she felt nauseous. Uncertainty filled her as she wondered if she was making the right choice. Her and Phillip had barely spoken in days. Of course they had made small talk about the weather and such but the unknown "she" was haunting them both and she was about to put even more distance between them. As she sat deep in thought, she was unaware that Philip had entered the room. Alarmed at seeing her, he dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Liz, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

As she lifted her head to see the genuine concern in his eyes, something came of her, something urgent, animalistic. She leaned forward and pulled him against her. A fire burned inside her as she grabbed the back of his head and pulled his mouth against hers. Her kiss was hard and passionate. Phillip ignored the shock and gave into the desire. They tore at each other's clothes between heated kisses and passionate clawing. He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. When their bodies were aligned, she eased slowly down his hardness. Simultaneous moans of satisfaction filled the room. She pinned his hands against the floor, behind his head. She was in total control, yet had lost all control of herself. She found her rhythm and moved up and down his hardened cock as if it may be the last time she would ever feel him inside her. She felt her body begin to quiver and knew her orgasm was close. Almost breathless Phillip begged her for more. Bracing her hands on his chest for support she moved herself harder and faster against him, until the two erupted at once. She felt the pulsating of his penis as she climaxed and then collapsed against his body. The two laid as one, neither speaking a word for what seemed like an eternity.


End file.
